The lady's not for turning

Many years ago a politician said.

"The lady's not for turning"

Like her many of us arrogantly and resolutely refuse to change.  We wish to conservatively remain as we are, but we have a choice.  In Advent we are called to change, to metanoia we can choose and accept change.  You and I can choose to love God with all our heart, all our soul and all our minds.  We do not have to accept sin and death, we can choose life and joy.

Let us turn, turn to Christ this Advent, accept Christ and the wisdom of God rather than the human cleverness of  and foolishness.

By turning to God we can change the world, starting with our own attitudes and importantly LOVE.

A great Advent message

Today I watched a great Advent Message

Please check out Fr Paschal

We fail ourselves, Our calling and God

It is so easy to fail God, ourselves and our calling.

It is very difficult to keep the first commandment.  However it is not impossible

"We ought to give ourselves up to God with regard both to things temporal and spiritual and seek our satisfaction only in the fulfilling of His will. Whether God led us by suffering or by consolation all would be equal to a soul truly resigned."

To achieve this all that is needed is

 "...one hearty renunciation of everything which we are sensible does not lead to God. We might accustom ourselves to a continual conversation with Him with freedom and in simplicity."

Brother Lawrence

Renounce the things of the world
Focus of things divine
Continual and costantly pray, talk with God.
Listen to God
Focus on achieving God's will, NOT your will

Riches vs Poverty

We live in a world where the pursuit of wealth and money is valued, but for the Christian poverty should be valued.  Fr Murray Bodo sums up the right attitude to money.

If I am truly poor, then I am dependent on others for everything, and I feel useless and worthless, and I realise deep within that everything is a gift from the Father. Then in this attitude of complete dependence, I become useful again, for then I am empty of selfishness and I am free to be God's instrument instead of my own. In poverty I begin to value everything rightly again. I see how little really matters, and I see that only that which glorifies God is of value.

I write these words in pain, Lady Poverty, for I have wept bitter tears because I was poor and had to beg from others, and I felt like a burden to people and to God . . . And I have grown weary of Christ's words not to worry about tomorrow. But in His grace I have surrendered to God's sovereignty and providence, and it has made me free.

. . . Lady Poverty, I love you. You, my Lady, take all the sting from being poor. In your embrace I am rich indeed, for I have someone to love. I have you. Perhaps, my Lady, that is why I keep submitting, surrendering my desire to control my life, my need to provide for the future. You have stolen my heart and made me happy, and your love makes up for all the pain that loving you involves.

. . . And we know it is all worthwhile because when we look into your eyes, we see Christ Himself.

Fr Murray Bodo OFM
Fr Murray Bodo

Being Happy, being called

Awaiting evening prayer today I realised that I was only happy when I was doing what I was called to do.

Not what I thought was best, but doing what I was meant to do.

Society will encourage us to earn more money, gain more influence.  We may be attracted to important, ‘sexy’ and prestigious roles.  Even our relatives may not have our best interests at heart.  When in fact we are called to do something simple and well.

In addition to loving God with all your heart, ALL you soul and your mind.  I am called to work, simple domestic work.  I am not called to be a priest, deacon, an officer, a manager rather to be humble before God and others.  When I serve, when I clean toilets, wash up then I feel fulfilled.

We each are called.  Pray that you come to know to what you are called to.  If you strive to follow Christ, it be something humble and humbling, not proud or arrogant.

Read 1 Corinthians 12:12